


Maybe I Like This Rollercoaster

by dessertmeltdown



Category: One Direction (Band), Radio 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-29
Updated: 2012-12-29
Packaged: 2017-11-22 20:15:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/613870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dessertmeltdown/pseuds/dessertmeltdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry sets Nick up on a date for their office Christmas Party.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Maybe I Like This Rollercoaster

**Author's Note:**

  * For [words_unravel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/words_unravel/gifts).



> Written for words_unravel. I'm not sure if this is exactly what you wanted, but I really hope you enjoy it! It's not as long as I wanted it to be.
> 
> Beta'ed wonderfully by ohohstarryed. All missed mistakes and Americanisms are mine.
> 
> I disclaim.

Nick has no idea what had possessed him to say yes when Harry offered up a quick solution for his lack of a date for the office Christmas party. He should have, at the very least, asked what the solution was before he agreed to take it.

If he had known the answer would begin with _so I have this friend …_ he most definitely would have said no. Nick would rather go alone than be subjected to whatever friend of a friend of a friend that Harry's planning to set him up with. This is a scenario that never really works out the way Harry thinks it will.

In the days leading up to the party Nick comes up with at least a dozen horrific scenarios, and none of them prepare him for what he sees when he opens his door for this mystery date. It turns out that Harry knows him through Liam who knows him from university, and his name is Louis.

He looks stupid and not at all attractive. Nick is not interested in proving Harry right. Of all the times Harry has attempted to introduce Nick to someone, he's never once been right. Nick is not interested in hearing him gloat, not even once.

It's easy enough to steel his look when Louis smiles his _incredibly stupid_ smile and says, “you must be Nick; I've heard a lot about you.” It's even easy when Louis tries to make awkward small talk in the car, which Nick most certainly does not participate in. The problem is that Nick loves to talk. Louis seems to love to talk even more, which Nick has decided means that they absolutely could never work out. He couldn't date someone who talks more than he does. If the car ride is anything to go by, Nick would have to spend the rest of his life unable to get a word in edgewise and that just doesn’t work for him.

He's definitely ignoring the fact that he's compelled to listen to Louis' stories and laugh in the appropriate places and the fact that Louis is incredibly charming and funny and as wit to rival only Nick's own. It's not at all pleasant to get the chance to listen, rather than be the one to fill all of the awkward silences.

The absolute worst thing that could happen to Nick is Louis wrapping his fingers around Nick’s wrist and saying, “I'll have to be honest, I wasn't sure about coming here tonight.” He’s not competely sure he isn’t imagining the entire exchange. Louis says, “I have to admit I wasn’t even sure about coming here tonight. Harry’s always fixing me up, and it never pans out.” On the inside, Nick is one second away from blushing and giggling like a teenaged girl. 

On the outside, he's not going to give Harry the satisfaction. He's about to excuse himself when Louis tugs on his arm. “You're not living up to your hype.” Louis leans against the wall. “Harry said you were charming. I'm not going to lie. I'm waiting to be charmed here. I feel like I’m doing all the work.”

Nick's charm has never been challenged before, and it's more upsetting to him than it probably should be. “Perhaps if you would stop speaking for long enough that I can get a word in.” The words come easily, and Nick makes it sound as light as possible. It could be nice to have someone capable to verbally spar with.

“Touche.” Louis grins, and Nick most certainly can look away. It's not blinding or anything stupid or cliché like that. It's a grin. It's a fairly solid grin.

Nick grabs a couple of glasses of wine from a passing waiter and hands one to Louis. Nick is happy to lean against the wall and listen to Louis comment on the attire of the rest of the people around the room – he hates most of them anyway. He makes the occasional side comment or agreeing sound. 

It turns out Nick and Louis actually have very little in common but their shared love of judging people – especially the people Nick works with – is enough for Nick to overlook the first half. And maybe the fact that he's pretty sure Louis' smile could actually light up a room. Or possibly the entire world.

Harry keeps grinning at Nick from across the room while making thumbs up gestures. Nick is very careful to make sure that Louis is always facing away from Harry. 

“Well, this is the most boring party I've ever been to,” Louis says, breaking into Nick's thoughts. He's not being inaccurate, honestly. No one's spiked the eggnog yet, and none of the staff has snuck out for a quick snog with someone they're not married or otherwise committed to. The lack of gossip being generated at this office party is underwhelming. “We should sneak up to the roof.”

“How rebellious of you,” Nick says, trying to sound as unimpressed as possible.

“Exactly.” Louis grins again and Nick has to resist the urge to lean in and kiss him – just to wipe the stupid grin off his face, of course. Louis slides his fingers back around Nick's wrist, tugging him back away from the wall. “Come on, then. Entertain me. Otherwise I'll go home and call Harry tomorrow complaining about what a waste of my time this was and refusing to ever allow him to set me up again.” There's something in his voice telling Nick that's not a very likely possibility, no matter what he does now.

What he does is allow Louis to tug on his wrist, leading him out of the office. Nick takes the lead and heads up to the roof. The building doesn't have the greatest view. They're surrounded by office buildings on either side, and the area itself isn't very scenic. It's a warm night though, for December, and you can actually manage to see a couple of stars if you really work at it.

“It shocks me that Harry has chosen to dedicate his life to such a boring career.” Louis hums. “Never quite seemed the type.” Nick isn't sure whether or not to be offended, when Louis tilts his head and adds, “Neither do you, honestly. How did you end up here?”

Nick doesn't even know how to answer the question. This certainly isn't where he ever imagined himself at thirty. He'd always been incredibly driven, but somehow after a few bad decisions this is where he ended up. “Life's full of little disappointments, I suppose. I wouldn't have chosen this.”

“So why don't you stop doing it? You and Harry really are two of a kind.” Louis hums. “It's not a bad thing – just. I can't imagine dedicating my life to something I don't enjoy. Neither of you seem exactly thrilled with your current lot in life.”

Suddenly Nick is defensive of his life. It may not have ended up where he had planned or expected, but it's his. He's known Louis Tomlinson for three hours tops, and that certainly doesn't give him the right to start handing out life advice. “Yes, well. Some of us live in a world of bills and rent payments. The real world, if you will. It isn't always about doing something that you enjoy.”

“Harry says the same thing.” Louis rest back against the door, looking out across the roof. “I just can't imagine it. I suppose I really am an idealistic teenager at heart.” He smiles a little, soft around the edges, eyes crinkled up. Nick is a little bit in love. “Never did want to grow up.”

“You should try it sometime.”

“I don't think I will.” Louis pushes back from the wall, sliding his fingers around Nick's wrist. Nick really wants him to stop doing that. It causes him to lose focus. Especially out here where there are no eyes on them and no Harry interrogating him about the progress of the evening with his eyes from across the room. Something about it makes his skin buzz.

He feels like later he's probably going to regret it but he leans in to kiss Louis anyway, just a quick press of lips. He pulls back a second later, only to have Louis press their lips back together. Louis has no problems with deepening the kiss and curling his free hand around the back of Nick's neck, pressing his capable fingers into the hair there. Nick has to lean over to properly reach him, and he's sure that Louis is standing on the tips of his toes.

It's endearing in a way. It's endearing in a lot of ways, really. Nick is never going to hear the end of this from Harry.

“We should get out of here,” Louis says, prying the door open and leading Nick back inside. “We're going to throw Harry into a tailspin if we leave early. It will be fantastic.” 

“Lets,” Nick agrees. He's sure tomorrow morning he's going to wake up with a thousand text messages from Harry asking why he left and if the evening went well. He's not concerned so much with that right now as he is with whether or not he can convince Louis to come up to the flat for a couple of drinks.

“It was right boring in there.” Louis leads him out into the street. “You are much too interesting for the place.” He grins. “We'll discuss that later. Right now, I'd really like to find out if I'm right.”

“Right about what?” 

“How good you're going to look in my bed.”

Nick snorts because that was awful and not at all what he expected, but then again neither is Louis. And anyway, it doesn't stop him from letting Louis lead him back to his flat.


End file.
